Like so many others, I was saddened to hear of the sudden death of David Stuart, a person whose career, passion and continued contribution to the LGBT community I admire.
I met David a couple of years ago, when I got to feel his deep-rooted love and energy for community work. His deep knowledge and passion has certainly influenced me along with so many other community workers, with their service delivery and supporting others.
David was and continues to be famous for his work and education on Chemsex. This valuable work and his approach to it will become a part of his legacy.
David developed the world’s first Chemsex support service and visited many parts of the world to help develop services for Chemsex and HIV prevention. He was also an avid campaigner for the introduction of PrEP.
It was also David’s passion to get gay men talking about sex and their relationships with each other. He worked with others to develop the events which became known as Let’s Talk About Gay Sex and Drugs.
These events were unique in that they offered an opportunity for the community to speak openly and honesty about drugs, sex, and relationships. This was something David was passionate about – giving people the space to talk about all the emotional aspects of their relationships.
In writing this blog I have discovered David’s other passion – writing. He published two books, a novel and a collection of essays and poetry.
I would like to end this blog with a quote from his website:
I am very driven.
I also cry a lot, in grief, or despair.
And I’ve worked, I’ve created, I’ve inspired. I’ve done it very badly, I’ve done it well.
David, we thank you and will continue to remember you.
— Stuart Payne, Sexual Health Promotion Worker
This blog is part of a series for LGBT History Month 2022, where members of the Birmingham LGBT Team write about the LGBT people whose lives have influenced and inspired them.
